Freddy Numberi may no longer be included in Freeport board of commissioners

Freddy Numbery will no longer be included in the board of commissioners at the giant gold and copper mining firm PT Freeport Indonesia, according to a government source.

The source was quoted as saying by the Neraca daily that this was one of the temporary decision resulted at the Thursday shareholders meeting of the company. He said that the government was now in the process of selecting the replacement of Freddy.

Freeport is more than 80 percent owned by U.S.-based Freeport McMoran Gold & Copper, while the remainder is equally divided between the government and a local company.

The source said that the other indigenous people of the Papua province including Ishak Hindom and Tom Beanal would be retained.

But the source said that there were no actual firm decisions reached because the shareholders meeting turned into a deadlock as the government and Freeport could not agree on the names for the board of directors and commissioners.

The source also said that the meeting discussed the possibility of indigenous Papua people sitting at the company's board of directors.

Freeport has been under attacked particularly following the recent fatal landslide incident at its dumping site and a series of alleged environmental destruction. The government has ordered Freeport to cut down output following the incident.

Separately, Edmond R. Ernst of the Baliem Valley Foundation was quoted by Kompas as saying that the government should introduce a new guideline to revamp the current secretive operation of Freeport.

He said that the Freeport operation has been heavily guarded, with no one knowing what's happening inside.

He said that if this goes on, it would be a loss to the Papua people.

Edmond added that the government should also introduce a clear limit of Freeport mining site because it's very close to the local conservation area. He said that this was needed to protect the environment. (*)